New figures from the broadcaster also detail how 18 people were on more than €200,000 on December 31.

Of those, 12 were in a pay band between €225,000 and €300,000 – but RTÉ declined to give any detailed breakdown of the highest earners.

It said to provide more detail could identify specific individuals, in a decision made in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

There were six people who were paid between €200,000 and €225,000, and a further nine who got payments of between €175,000 and €200,000.

The figures were not broken down according to staff member or contractors, but they do include RTÉ’s highest-earning presenters.

A total of 13 people were paid between €150,000 and €175,000, while 27 were in a band between €130,000 and €150,000.

A total of 330 people were paid salaries or fees of between €75,000 and €100,000

The figures also showed 24 people earned between €120,000 and €130,000.

In the range of €110,000 to €120,000, there were 59 people, and in the band between €100,000 and €110,000, there were 57.

A total of 330 people were paid salaries or fees of between €75,000 and €100,000, according to the FoI records.

Another 926 had payments that ranged from €50,000 to €75,000.

RTÉ said there were 5,944 people who were paid sums up to €50,000, with the high number explained by the inclusion of all programme contributors. In some cases, these people might be paid less than a €100 for appearing a single time on a current-affairs show.

An information note said: “The reason there are so many individuals in [this] bracket arises from the fact that all programme contributors are deemed to be contractors.”

The figures were released before the controversy that engulfed the public service broadcaster last week.

On Thursday, it emerged that presenter and producer Derek Mooney had been mistakenly excluded from RTÉ’s annual list of top 10 earners.

Mooney was the seventh highest-paid presenter in the organisation last year, on €202,264, and eighth in 2024, on €197,151.

Derek Mooney's salary was understated as his earnings as a producer were not accounted for. Photo: Mark Condren

Derek Mooney’s salary was understated as his earnings as a producer were not accounted for. Photo: Mark Condren

His inclusion in the 2024 list pushed out sports commentator Darragh Maloney, who had previously been listed on a salary of €194,902.

The new figures, which include ­salary, employer pension contributions and related benefits, show Mooney was paid €195,079 in 2020, €187,854 in 2021, €188,885 in 2022 and €192,592 in 2023.

RTÉ’s director general Kevin Bakhurst is expected to meet Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan this week to explain the latest controversies.

On Friday, the minister demanded a breakdown of packages within RTÉ by early this week, because he said the categorisation of producers and presenters made no sense.

A long-awaited bill is also going to the Cabinet on Tuesday to bring RTÉ’s finances under the control of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the state spending watchdog.

It was also revealed last week that broadcasters Claire Byrne and Ray D’Arcy were paid a combined €97,000 after they ceased presenting their programmes.